Unrefillable bottle.



No. 666,932. Patented 1an. 29, |901. E. KRAHENBUHL.

UNREFILLABLE BOTTLE.

(Application led Mar. 5, 1897.) (N o M o d el.)

@wwwa UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ERNEST KRAHENBUHL, OF SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA.

UNREFILLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,932, dated January29, 1901. Application filed March 5, 1897. Serial No. 626,032. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST KRAHENBUHL, a citizen of Switzerland, (buthaving declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the UnitedStates,) residing at San Rafael, in the county of Marin and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUnrellable Bottles; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to devices for rendering bottles unrellable afterthey have been partly or wholly emptied of their original contents.

One object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple mechanicalcontrivance for preventing refilling which canrbe applied to a bottlewithout any change in its interior or exterior structure and whichtherefore does away with the necessity of making a special bottle toreceive and retain the preventive mechanism. Y

A further object of my invention is to automatically exclude air fromthe bottle except at such times as the liquid is being poured out, atwhich times air is admitted to the interior.

My invention can also be applied to specially-constructed bottles wheresuch are desirable, as is sometimes the case, and I have thereforedescribed it in connection with different kinds of bottles and have soillustrated it in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is avertical section of the neck of the bottle. Fig. 2 is a similar sectiontaken at right angles to Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. lin the position of pouring liquid from the bottle. Fig. 4 is anelevation of the same bottle-neck with an exterior sheath and seal.vFig. 5 is a modificationV showing my invention as applied toda bottleof special construction. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line a; a: of Fig.5.` Fig. 7 is a plan View of the toothed guard through which the liquidflows out, but which prevents the insertion of a wire into the bottle.

Fig. Sis av neck is smooth and unbroken. Within the neck after thebottle is lled is placed the separate preventive and corking device,which may, however, be assembled together in and after the bottle isfilled. This device consists of a chamber B, having a perforated orgrated bottom 1 and provided with a fiange 2, which rests upon the upperedge of the bottle-neck, and with another liange 3. From the Iiange 2rises upwardly a rim 5, forming an exterior cup or receptacle and havinga circular groove 4. near its upper edge. The flanges 2 and 3 and therim 5 form a shallow circular groove 6. The chamber B and rim 5 andtheir flanges are preferably formed in one piece. It is to be remarked,however, that if it be considered objectionable for any reason to havethe rim 5 projecting so far above the bottle-neck as illustrated theange 2 may be formed at the upper edge of rim 5 or at any point betweenits base and upper edge, in which case part or all of such rim would beinserted into the bottle-neck, but occupying the same positionrelatively to the chamber B. This chamber, with its rim 5 and flanges,may be of any suitable noncorrodible material, as glass, porcelain, hardrubber, enameled metal, or aluminium, and may be secured within the neckin any suitable way, as vby interior cernenting or by exterior sealing.It is not, however, necessary to so secure it, as will be hereinafterexplained.

Set within the cup or rim 5 is a circular plate D, Fig. 7. This plate isprovided with radial arms 7, t-urned downward at right angles to formlegs 8, separated from each other. These legs rest in the groove 6, andhence elevate the plate somewhat above the bottom of the cup 5. Thisgroove 6 serves also as a check and preventive to the intro-l duction ofwires, dac. The air in penetrating into and the liquid in escaping fromthe bottle passbetween these legs. On the upper face of plate D is aseries of vertical projections 9, bent at right angles to form radialtriangular teeth 10, which register with the spaces between the legs 8.The plate D is also provided with a downwardly-projecting pin or stud1l.

E is a hollow thimble having a widened base 12 and provided in its lowersurface lOO with radial teeth 13. These teeth interlock with the teeth10, as shown in Fig. 5 and as indicated in Fig. S, where the plate andthimble are shown separately. The base-flange 12 of the thimble has itsupper edge notched by grooves reaching below the edge of cup 5, so thatsuitable securing means, such as cement, may be introduced in thesegrooves in connection with circular groove 4 to secure the completecontrivance as a separate and complete device, thereby-avoiding thenecessity of building up or mounting the different pieces of the deviceat the time of bottling the contents. The hollow thimble now projectsabove the neck of the bottle, and its interior is preferably slightlytapered to receive an ordinary cork.

Vhen the complete device or assembled parts are in place in thebottle-neck, they may be secured and protected there by an externalsheath I, of suitable material, such as sheet metal or metal foil, soshaped as to wholly or partly encircle the neck of the bottle andcapable of being contracted thereon. This sheath is open at the top,leaving at all times a free passage with access to the cork andpouring-outlet, and near its lower end means are formed for retaining itin place, such as the loops shown, into which is inserteda binding wireor pin drawn tight and secure. The upper edge of the sheath is shaped soas to rest upon the thimble E, and a seal or similar safeguard isaffixed to the free ends of the binding wire or pin, as shown. Thisconstruction allows the same bottlesheath, pin, and preventive device tobe repeatedly used. The seal and sheath may bear trade-marks, warningsconcerning unlawful use, removal, mutilation, dac., and insure thepreservation of the original con tents of the bottle. This is evident,because access to the interior can only be had by mutilating one or moreof these parts or the exposed portion of the preventive device. Iamaware that caps and capsules for bottles have already been devised andused; but so far as I am aware they are so constructed as to requireremoval wholly or partly by mutilation, and hence they are not adaptedto bear a deiinite relation to an antirefilling device. It will beobserved that in my device the pouring-outlet is entirely free whenuncorked and that this sheath is not used in connection with the cork,and hence if mutilated must be so treated for some improper purpose.With my external sheath formed in one piece the sheath is put on readilyand removed likewise when the seal is broken. The buyer of the bottleand each of his subsequent customers to whom the contents may beretailed can thus ascertain at a glance if the device has been tamperedwith. The manufacturer or bottler can take back his own bottles and canreadily remove and reuse every part of it, including the sheath, andafter refilling the old bottles can sell them again in a condition whichguarantees the genuineness of the contents. Of course the sheath in nowav prevents the withdrawal of the cork. Instead of using the sheath,however, I may use external cementing or sealing material at the jointbetween the chamber and the bottle, as shown at 18, and at the jointbetween the thimble and the rim 5, as shown at 14 in Fig. 2. The thimbleand toothed plate Aform an absolute guard against the insertion of awire and yet allow a free flow of liquid, as indicated in Fig. 3.

A serious objection to this class of devices has hitherto been that thefree fiow of liquid from the bottles has been checked and prevented bythe anti refilling devices, the liquid in many cases only trickling fromthe bottle. This is frequently caused by the shutting 0H of air fromentering into the interior, the narrow neck being nearly filled withmechanism and with the escaping liquid. In connection with my preventivedevices I have designed an automatically-acting airvalve normallyclosed, but opened by the act of inclining the bottle in order to pourout liquid, so that a free inlet for air'is provided while the liquid isflowing.

Upon the pin or stud 1l is swiveled a weight F, the lower end of whichhas a pivot 15, which enters a central hole in the perforated bottom ofthe chamber 2. The body of this weight being all upon one side of alinedrawn through its bearings will always fall toward the lower side of thebottle-neck in the act of pouring out liquid, Fig. 3. The central pin orpivot 15 of this weight is a tube with a closed top and open lower end,the latter projecting below the perforated bottom 1. At one side of theupper end of this tube is formed a half-bearing j', communicating by apassage 19 with the interior of the tube 17. Journaled in this bearingis a weighted valve G, the journal of which has a small transverse port20. A small rubber band 16 may be used to hold the journals of the valvein position, Figs. 1 and 2. In its normal position the Weighted part 2lof the valve lits within a recess formed in the weight F, as shown inFig. 1, with the port 2O out of line with the passage 19, as shown inFig. 5. In the act of pouring out liquid the valve swings toward themouth of the bottle, causing the port 20 and passage 19 to register,Fig. 3. The tube 17 is preferably extended down into the bottle andprovided with a small ball or float 22, of some light material. Thisfioater prevents liquid from being pumped or forced through theair-valve, because it will rise with such liquid and close the lower orinner end of the tube 17, which end is somewhat contracted. In theposition of Fig. 3 the liquid can flow freely from the bottle, as shownby arrows, while the air can also enter freely, passing through theair-valve and tube 17 into the interior. For an antirefilling-valve Iprefer to use a iiat and liexible disk of rubber H, mounted upon thetube 17 just above the perforated bottom 1, which will open to pressureofliq- IOO IIO

uid from the bottle, but will close against said bottom to pressure ofliquid through the neck. At the junction of the valve-shoulder (which ispreferably slightly inclined or hollo wed inwardly) with the exterior oftube 17 a slight recess or groove 23 is formed in the tube of about thesame thickness as the diskrubber H, so asto keep the disk H from comingout of place. This shoulder also prevents the shifting or reversal ofthe valve by eXtra pressure from the interior, its central aperturebeing somewhat. smaller and within its corresponding bearing, andthereby a local distention is prod uced toward the central part of thevalve, causing the part so affected to assume locally a sunken orinverted conical shape, facing the opposite direction of the shoulder,and` causing the unaffected part of the valve to project abo ve thelevel of its seat and toward the perforated plate l, against which itcloses entirely and automatically, thus rendering the interior in acondition equivalent to that of acorked bottle and olfering the minimumof resistance to be overcome by the escaping contents. This liexiblevalve being inaccessible is in no danger of being punctured and,moreover, may have additional protection from a shield F', projectingfrom the weight F, Figs. 5 and 6.

The devices thus far described are applied to an ordinary bottle of awell-known kind and, as will have been, seen require no change in thestructure or shape of the bottle to adapt it to receive them. In orderto illustrate my invention in connection with a specially-made bottle, Ihave shown in Fig. 5 a modified structure. The bottle-neck is in thiscase provided with a slightly-enlarged chamber near its mouth, producinga shoulder 25, upon which rest the projecting legs of the plate D. Henceit is unnecessary to use the interior chamber B, with itsupwardlyextended rim, since the enlargement of the neck answers all thepurposes of such chamber andrim. The perforated bottom is here aseparate plate 26, preferably fitted with a rubber rim 27, which holdsitself in a groove 28, formed in the bottle-neck, or a perforated platefitted with a suitable elastic rim around its edge may be forciblyintroduced and located within the neck of an ordinary bottle and thereremain in proper position. The weight F, air-valve, preventive valve,and inlocking guard-plate and thimble are, however, constructed and usedin the saine manner as those previously described.

In the case of bottles provided with a beak or lip for pouringconstantly from one side the weight F may be dispensed with, since itspurpose is only to insure the operation of the air-valve in ordinarybottles, in which the liq-` nid is poured out at any part of the outlet.

Instead of securing the flexible valve upon the tube 17 it may be sprungover a stud or projection formed upon the perforated bottom plate, suchstud or projection being shaped so as to give the cup shape to thevalve, as before described. The stud or projection has an apertureextending through the plate when used in conjunction with the weight F,but may be solid when the weight is dispensed with, the contents of thebottle ,being then shaken out of the bottle in case of j of said valves,substantially as described.

2. ln combination with a bottle having an antiretilling device, a guardnear the mouth of the bottle, a perforated plate held within thebottleneck, a weight pivoted to said guard and plate, an air-passagethrough one of its pivots, and a swinging air-valve journaled in saidweight and adapted to open and close said air-passage automatically,substantially as described.

3. In combination with a bottle having an antirelling-valve, aliquid-proof swiveled air-valvevdistinctfrom said antirellling-valve, aguard for said air and antirelling valves, composed of a toothed plate,and having a stud or bearing formed at its under side for a pivotedweight and a thimble forming the liquid-exit, such plate and thimblebeing secured to the bottle,substantially as described.

4. In a bottle provided with an an tirefillingvalve, and having achamber in its neck provided with a supporting-shoulder, a guard forsaid valve consisting of a plate having downwardly-projectingsupportinglegs,which rest upon said shoulder, and also havingupwardly-projecting teeth, and a thimble having interlocking teeth andprovided with a liquid-discharge passage, and adapted to receive a cork,substantially as described.

5. In a bottle having an antirefilling-valve, a guard for such valveconsisting of a solid plate having downwardly-projecting separate legs,and upwardly-projecting radial teeth, and a hollow thimble having teethadapted to interlock therewith, and having adischarge-passage adapted toreceive a cork, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a bottle having an antirelling-valve, a swiveledand weighted air-inlet valve normally closed but adapted to openautomatically to admit air when liquid is being discharged, an airpassage or tube connecting said air-valve with the interior of thebottle, a iioat contained within said airpassage to prevent the forcibleintroduction of liquid when the air-valve is open, and a guard for bothof said valves.

7. In combination with a bottle having a concealed guard near its mouth,a perforated plate held within the bottle-neck, a weight loosely pivotedto said guard and plate and having an air-inlet passage, and anantireiill- IOO ing-valve mounted upon said Weight and adapted to closeautomatically against said perforated plate.

S. In combination with a bottle, a perforated plate Within thebottle-neck through which liquid can flow from the bottle into the neck,an adjacent and coinciding fiexible valve having free edges, said valvehaving its center supported and entered by a permanently-concentric partprovided with a shoulder or recess, so conformed as to cause theimmediately surrounding parts only of the valve to expand locally, andto protrude in a sunken or cup-like manner toward and above theperforated plate, whereby said valve closes automatically against saidplate, a sight-exposed outer guard within the pouringoutlet, anintermediate and concealed inner guard located in the bottle-neck abovethe said valve and intervening between the external pouring-outlet andthe said valve for preventing access to such valve.

9. As an article of manufacture and in cornbination an independent,removable and interchangeable antirelling attachment for bottles andmeans for protecting and fastening the same to said bottles, saidantirelilling attachment being complete in itself and its Working partscontained Within a chamber and therein protected by a double guard,consisting of two interlocking members, viz., a sight-exposed and aconcealed guard, the

former being provided with a pouring-outlet adapted to receive a cork,while the chamber itself is adapted to close the mouth of the bottle,external means for protecting and fastening said attachment or device tothe bottle securely, and yetin a removable manner, and consisting of asheath, having an upper aperture for the pouring-outlet, and retainingmeans or loop-holes at its lower extremities, a suitable band or Wire toengage said retaining means, and locking means to secure the ends ofsaid Wire together.

10. An antirelling attachment for bottles, com prsing a chamber having aflange adapted to rest upon the edge of the bottle-mouth; a combinedguard and outlet Within and projecting from said chamber; a perforatedbottom to the chamber forming a valve-seat; a weight pivoted in saidvalve-seat and having an air-tube and air-valve; and a fiexible disk onsaid tube adapted to close automatically against said bottom,and to openautomatically to liquid-pressure from the interior of the bottle,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have affixed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses, this 16th day of February, 1897.-

E. KRAHENBUHL.

Witnesses:

S. W. SEELY, M. J. DIETZ.

